


The Weather Outside Is Frightful

by ami_ven



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsheplets, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-07
Updated: 2014-02-07
Packaged: 2018-01-11 11:29:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1172532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s something missing from the Atlanteans’ winter festival, and Rodney knows what it is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Weather Outside Is Frightful

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "mcsheplets" prompt #138 "missing"

“There’s still something missing,” said Rodney, as they stood on the balcony overlooking the ‘gate room.

Below, a group of Marines was repositioning the giant not-quite-fir tree that Lorne’s team, with help from Parrish, had brought back from PX-811. The past few _Daedalus_ runs had brought other Earth decorations, but they were also incorporating traditions from the Athosians’ winter festival, and several other Pegasus Galaxy customs. Woolsey and Halling made a surprisingly good team as they arranged events, planned menus and coerced just about everyone into helping out.

Rodney had already solved the problem of how to get Earth-standard strings of Christmas lights to take power from the city grid, and figured out a way to play holiday songs over the loudspeakers in the mess. John hadn’t been so lucky— he wanted to hang mistletoe from the top of the stargate, but hadn’t been able to think of how to keep it out of the way of forming wormholes.

There were garlands of greenery for the balcony railings made by a group of older Athosian ladies; carols in several languages— most, from what little John knew, _not_ with the original lyrics— could be heard in the corridors; and moods seemed a little brighter all over the city.

“What could be missing?” John asked, turning to look at Rodney. They finally had enough time— and enough peace— to properly plan their Christmas/Winter/Whatever festival, and John thought they’d done a pretty good job at thinking of everything.

The physicist frowned thoughtfully. “I don’t know. But something is.”

John left him to figure it out himself. He was busy authorizing Marine-and-Athosian off-world groups to hunt a kind of native bird to add to the frozen turkeys from Earth, trying to explain _The Year Without a Santa Clause_ to Teyla and Ronon, and activating the Ancient crystal star Radek had made for the top of their tree.

He stepped back to admire the tree, the glow of the lights on the glitter-filled test tubes and reports-turned-origami ornaments left over from their first Christmas on Atlantis, when Rodney appeared at his side.

“Let’s go, colonel.”

“And what if I’m busy?” John protested, even as he fell into step beside him.

“You’re not busy,” said Rodney, taking them toward the ‘jumper bay. “And this is more important, anyway.”

“What is?” John asked.

But Rodney refused to tell him, even after they’d taken Jumper Two high into the atmosphere. “Hold this position,” said Rodney, and went into the rear compartment to fiddle with his laptop. After a moment, he was back. “Okay. Use your magic gene and tell the puddle jumper ‘activate’.”

“Activate what?” asked John.

“Less talking, more use of freaky genetics.”

John grumbled under his breath, but closed his eyes and thought _Activate_ at the ‘jumper controls. Something shifted in the ‘jumper’s hull and suddenly, the fluffy white clouds outside the window began getting darker.

“Is it supposed to do that?”

“What?” asked Rodney. “Oh, that. Yes. Everything is working exactly like it should be.”

He was quiet again until they got back to Atlantis, and his radio beeped for attention. “What?” he said again. “Yes, it all worked perfectly. Exactly like I said it would. Yes, yes, make the announcement. And don’t call me again, I’m very busy.”

Rodney pulled the radio out of his ear, just as Radek’s voice came over the city-wide PA, “ _Attention, everyone. If you will please make your way to the ‘Gate Room, or to one of the surrounding balconies, you will be in for a winter treat_.”

John started down the corridor to the Control Room, but Rodney grabbed his arm. He let the scientist tow him to a transporter, then up to a small balcony in the east tower.

The clouds they’d seen in the ‘jumper were rolling in, and as they stepped outside, the increasing winds blew their condensed breath out over the ocean.

Then, suddenly, it started to snow.

Big, lacy flakes drifted down from the sky, tumbling through the air currents, settling on the city, sinking into the waves.

“McKay,” said John slowly. “Did we make it snow?”

Rodney beamed. “Yes, we did.”

John grinned back, and pulled him in for a snowy kiss.

THE END


End file.
